Friday, June 29, 2012

TV Show Tanked Not All It's Cracked Up To Be

A TV reality show based in Las Vegas named Tank is a show about some guys who build custom fish tanks. Because of their unique fish tanks, they were able to land a TV show on the animal Planet named Tanked.
Well, apparently some of their tanks just didn't do so well after the cameras were turned off.
From the Las Vegas Adviser (a web site that is al about Las Vegas and contains some very good information about Vegas): One of the episodes showed a gumball aquarium that was supposed to be
on the outside verandah at Caesars' Serendipity ice cream parlor.... The tank, which apparently dispensed real gumballs, was more than 250
gallons, carried 50 fish of assorted varieties, and was more than 8 feet
tall. As it was outside on the verandah, a custom cooling mechanism was
incorporated into the design in an attempt to keep the fish at a
healthy temperature, but from what we gleaned from some aquatic forums
we visited, it didn't work properly, all the fish apparently died within
four days, and the tank had to be dismantled.....
Another accusation leveled at the show's stars is that they do not
acclimate the fish to their new environment, nor cycle the water through
repeatedly as you're meant to when a new tank is being established, as
evinced by the superclean sand and water when the final "reveals" are
done, and a lack of algae that would be the norm in a new tank
environment.
A tank built in the style and to the exact dimensions of a phone booth,
commissioned for a private residence in Las Vegas, also proved to have
inherent problems. It's currently for sale on eBay, but is being stored
at a business in North Las Vegas called Blue Reef Aquatics. A very
helpful staff member we spoke with there confirmed our suspicions that
the piece has issues, describing it as "temperamental." The vertical
orientation would require significant and costly modification to the
filtration system to get enough oxygen into the water to support
saltwater fish, we were told, so it's currently home to some goldfish.
(With a $5,000 price tag, that's got to make it one of the most
expensive goldfish bowls in the world.) Apparently, the previous owners,
who relocated back to New York, had the filter running through a hole
in their garage wall and the necessary water-cooling in the Las Vegas
heat was adding $300-$400 per month to their electric bill. Ouch.http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/qod.cfm
Last week, they had a fish tank built for KISS at their new Monster mini-golf at Harmon and Koval. http://monsterminigolf.com/kiss/
The Tanked guys built a tank and then placed speakers next to the fish tank, along with flashing lights. Now, I used have fish- salt water and fresh, and I would think that the loud music and flashing lights just would not be very good for fish. So, I think I might pay a visit to the KISS Mini golf and see how the fish are doing, but at $11.95 for a half hour, it may be awhile.

85 comments:

This is Phillip Dominguez a representative of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing. We love criticism because it helps us to build a better product. What we don't like is when people attempt to inform the public of information lacking facts...

Let me begin with my favorite part of the blog.... "Now, I used have fish- salt water and fresh, and I would think that the loud music and flashing lights just would not be very good for fish." Apparently the education you earned which does not allow you to pay $11.95 for half an hour of mini golf can be explained by your high-end gramatical craftsmanship. Secondly, if you would do your due diligence you would find that the "speaker" system around the Kiss Tank is a faux look and there are NO speakers around the tank.

The client that owned the Phone booth tank had a heart attack and moved back to the east coast. And as far as his 300-400 dollar increase in power bills per month??? You clearly stated the mechanicals were in the garage. That residence did not have a temperature controlled garage??? Next...

We were told it was removed due to the outside structure and a conflict between Serendipity and Caesers.

This was fun. Please attempt to get the facts before you blog next time...

This just in, "Dan" infamous blogger lerans to report... Tanks for listening..

If you go on their website it clearly states under maintenance what to do and that the water and so forth is prepared weeks in advance they clearly know what they are doing hence they are still doing it and they are #1 in the country BTW their tanks are expensive around a half a million but like I always say anything worth having is worth paying for quality has a cost :)

Melisa is that why we saw them using the tap water from a casino to fill the Mob theme tank? They prepared it well in advance so that they could pull it from the tap of the casino?? OOPS its too hot... Lets throw some ice machine ice from different floors of the hotel into the tank..

Come on now... Half a million for a tank? Wheres that stat come from?? Pull your head out.

Its a tv show. You have to add the danger or last minute decision to make it seem like they pulled it off at the end with a minite to spare. I have a feeling most the problems they come across are made up for tv. Filling the tank with tap was another issue they maybe made up. Also its only an hour show for two tanks. They have to leave out the dull parts and water treatment is dull

There was an episode where the Tanked guys put several Bala Sharks, along with a red tailed shark and some guppies in a 8 gallon tank for a kid modified from an old television. Bala sharks routinely grow to over a foot long and red tailed sharks grow to 6 inches long. Since you responded so aggressively to this blog, I'm sure you also have an adequate answer for why two fish experts put readily common aquarium fish in a tank WAY too small simply because the fish had the work "shark" in their names. Thanks.

Phillip I love to watch the show and think that you guys make some of the most amazing tanks, but your insulting response to this blog is completely unprofessional! "Apparently the education you earned which does not allow you to pay $11.95 for half an hour of mini golf can be explained by your high-end gramatical craftsmanship." I wonder what Wade and Brett would think of this unprofessional response. This sheds a very bad light on the staff of ATM. I hope all "representatives" are not this rude!

KAI don't understand why people are getting so mad at the comments that are trying to inform people that what they see on the show is not the way a tank should be set up. I'm pretty sure the guys on the show know that what is shown on T.V. Is not even close to how a tank should be set up. We only see a fraction of the time they spend on setting up a tank, and I'm sure that they have to follow a script. I've had my reef tank set up for a little over 7 years now and have set up numerous tanks for people and trust me when I say that every animal in your tank would live a week or two at most if you set up a tank the way they do on the show. I'm not saying these guys don't know what they are doing, I just think they really need to give a warning in the beginning of the show to advise people that there is a lot more to setting up a tank then what they see on the show and have a a list of the proper steps that should be taken on their website and tell people to read it and learn as much as they can before attempting to set up a reef tank. I personally think they make some amazing tanks, but I've had a good number of customers who's tank I had to fix because they saw the show and decided they wanted a tank and set it up based on what they saw on the show.i don't think they're intentionally being careless, but they do need to realize people are going to watch the show and assume that what they see is how its done. I understand that this show is meant for entertainment but a show can be entertaining and educational at the same time. Again, I don't think they are bad guys I just don't think they realize that they are unintentionally giving people the wrong idea about how to set up a tank. So if anyone from ATM reads this, having a show like this means it is your responsibility to educate as we'll as entertain or at least explain at the end of each episode that there are a lot of steps to setting up a tank that are not shown on tv. Again I do think they make some amazing tanks and I truly hope that what is shown isn't their actual way of setting up a tank, cycling a tank and acclimating fish.

You should be arrested for animal cruelty. Putting half a dozen red-capped goldfish in a five gallon baby bottle tank. What is wrong with you guys? I've seen nothing but slips and bad fish choices on this show. The tanks look awesome, yeah, but they torture the animals to death. You realize those ORANDA red-capped goldfish get more than a foot long, right? What in the hell makes you think a five gallon can hold even one, let alone 5+? Nice job guys, teach that baby about death good and early!

I'd also like to know where this "Water control" was people keep pointing out when in the episode for the octopus tank and baby bottle goldfish...we clearly see them in the shower filling it up with tap water.

You'd get much higher marks, and probably a lot more business from people who actually KNOW fish, if you took the time to get proper types for the tanks built, and made sure the size can handle them and their bioloads. This show is just more filth who care more for "Decorations" than the animals, it really should be illegal. Were it puppies you'd be arrested, I don't know why fish get discounted as living things from the animal cruelty laws.

I love watching the amazing projects they produce but am smart enough to know they are more about making as much $$$as they can as fast as they can. I dont see any real pride in what they do or sense of TLC. Just pump them out and grab as much cash as fast as you can looks to be what they do catering only to the ultra rich. Thats the difference between a true craftsman and an entrepreneur.

Unbelievably true its a way to get rich and fast. A disabled vet or any common person couldnt afford a Tank made by these people.The only person who takes pride in his work is Redneck he takes pride in what he does.Redneck seems too spend a lot of time there. I have done my research quite well.This is there 4th place of business.That phillip dude works with them and moved into the newest building with them. Just waiting for another fall out wheres phillips tank that was made for his office building?You cant say nothing bad about them whether its true or not or it will be deleted.ATM had a Acrylic Furniture Store.If you watched animal pIanets bios you people would know that redneck has a family in colorado why are they there for the past 5 years..Maybe he aint mister nice guy maybe a .......There was a huge family brawl on face book with his family research people research if you want to spout off look into it all the way. Rednecks son has been seen in the shows.

Wow, what a surprise, people making one-off custom designed high end aquariums aren't pricing them so the average person could afford said high-end tanks. Gee what a F*CKING amazing thought! Here's another, how many disabled vets or common people can afford a one of a kind custom car, or house, or custom design unique boat? Custom ANYTHING is something that, by definition, is going to be VERY expensive. How much do you think the custom motorbikes on American Chopper cost? Think they cost 15 to 30 K like a standard Harley? How about 50 to 150 K instead! Can you shell out as much for a bike (or a tank) as most people do for a house? No? Gee, no surprise!

I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO POST HOW MUCH EACH ONE OF THESE MORONS GET PER EPISODEPER RE RUN AND ANYTHING ELSE THE GET.THEY GET A SALARY AS WELL.YOU WANT TO BE A BIG STAR WELL TELL ALL THEN ALL THE OTHER STARS GET BIG BUCKS

Yes they do get paid, anywhere from $25k to $40k per episode, now that the show took off & the shows a hit. Check out "celebrity net worth" or just Google how much do "Tanked star's get paid.I too wonder about the construction quality of the tanks. I wish they would show more actual tank construction than the bull crap antics of the two brothers-in-law. Do those two really run the business or does the father run it?I guess i've used enough time & space for now.

So is it true TANKED is SUPPORTINGGay Pride in CHICAGO 2013??? AND THE CAST WILL BE THERE???? IF SO I WILL NOT WATCH ANIMAL PLANET AGAIN!!! LEAVE THIS OUT OF ANIMAL PLANET. LEAVE PERSONAL CHOICES OUT OF IT.

hes not a dick is just that truth hurts so thats your definition but in fact he is right and even more so blogging is not giving the guy 11 bucks for a mini golf uff that suck get a real job and real facts and maybe he pay to go

You people are such losers...the show is entertaining my 7 yr old niece and 3 year old nephew love it I like it as well..why try to find things wrong are you that much of a loser you have nothing better to do with your time..if you did maybe you would be writing for something better than the las Vegas badger haha..jealousy that's all this is..keep hating tho

I'm just happy to see aquarium stuff making it on TV, been waiting for that for a while. Many of these tanks are amazing. I will say that those outdoor tanks are something I wouldn't ever want to attempt. And some of the situations seemed staged (but... ironically... isn't that all of reality TV nowadays?). Bottom line, keep up the good work!

I think Phil needs Props for keepin it real...I've seen these guys in action, been a fan if the show for years...and hell YEAH they need to charge, they deserve it, they gotta fly out, do the consults, cater yo the rich, tight ass picky clients, I say more power to em...make that paper ;). I love their chemistry, the only thing that annoys me is, these guys are funny enough, I hate when the producers have them rehearse cheesy ass one liners.. I'm sure they hate it also..especially redneck...go TANKED =))

I've had many salt, freshwater, and even brackish tanks and decided to watch, but they spend more time playing juvenile pranks and creating fake drama than actually doing something that would be interesting. Yes, the tank designs are creative, but they aren't imparting any information that would help someone learn about a "normal" tank...just showing off things only people with tons of money could afford and putting fish in the tanks that only advanced aquarists would attempt to keep alive. I won't be watching again.

Here's a clue - it's a "reality" TV show, not educational television. They aren't trying to teach people how to maintain a tank on the show, but entertain people on TV with the background of making the tanks as advertisement for their business.

"they aren't imparting any information that would help someone learn about a "normal" tank"... IT'S A TV SHOW! They're goal is not to inform, it's to entertain. If you want informational, go to the library and read a book or go to a pet store and buy a video. That's like saying why don't they teach more true survival skills on Survivor...

They don't build tanks, they build death trap/concentration camps where fish go to die. I build ecosystems for a living, reef tanks. I have seen their tanks in person and the owners can never keep fish alive for long. They always always die from lateral line or something else. No live rock, no biological filtration, the acrylic gets all scratched up; its really sad, horrible, disgusting and almost enraging. We have been asked several times to go fix their system they set up for someone here and it is going to be a daunting task. It's also taken a while to get to such a huge job because we are too busy building and maintaining everything from nano's to 800 gallon reef tanks (real functioning ecosystems). Sorry to say, but fish from the ocean just cannot handle such staggering amounts of neglect. Ask anyone, ANYONE who has had one of their tanks, save the ones who actually have live rock and refugiums and a decent amount of flow throughout the tank, how long they are able to get any of their fish to live. They just build these death traps and then you're on your own apparently. But hey, it makes a lot of profit and looks good on tv right??

This is the first comment that tells the reality of there tanks .I have been keeping reef tanks for over 20 years and to see the amount of errors in there systems makes me sick its like they brake every common rule . From amount of live rock per gal of water to amount of water flow ,and everything in between. Setting up saltwater fish tank takes time you must cycle the tank before introducing fish and you can not drop 40+ fish at once it is insanity. Either they don't know what there doing or don't care. :-\

Or it's this cool little thing all reality shows do called manipulative editing. The show is fake as most reality TV is -HOWEVER- as anything describing Manipulative editing can tell you they compress long time lines and switch up events in the timeline for that matter to produce the most drama. You aren't in the actual room when they do it. For all you know the aren't dropping 40+ fish at once, and you have no idea how long the water has been cycling before they shoot those scenes.

Tanked, a show where animals go to die! I am so angry about this show and the stupidity/inhumanity and animal cruelty of these men! And all in the name of profit and a little bit of fame. It's enraging!

We should wright aninal planet. Maybe call cnn or fox and have them do a story on how bad they treat these beautiful fish. You would think Animal Planet would be the last to allow this, but I would be wrong. I have been in reef tank hobby for 3 years and I would have known after the first month not to do the things that they do. People in this hobby should boycott this show and animal planet! I love my fish and corals like a pet dog, and would be pissed if they were TANKED to death by Animal Planet.

Thats the issue.Put these fish back in the oceans where they truly belong.If you dont have a minium of about $5000.00 dollars you aint going to get a nice aquarium.Someone needs to do a show on former customers before TANKED lets see what you hear then...Nothing about haters here.What about former employees and why they left. Get the real storyHammerhead international also out if las vegas.Former employee a chef.Former employees tell all.Former tank owners not so happy.

This show is terrible I can't believe it is still on seriously who watches this shit? They are in Vegas but have this horrible NE accent? I can't even stand the previews when I try to watch a good show on Animal Planet. They have to have some dirt on somebody high up at AP to keep this show on the air. Not one person I know has watched this show more than once. All fish people I know say how what they do is bad for the fishes health.

Seriously, then some BS fanboy pretends to be with them and reply up top. I notice they never have an episode where they go back and revisit, most likely because the people would be so pissed. Also half the tanks they make are so gay, if you showed it to me I'd throw your ass out of my business with the tank.

They will never have episodes where they go back and visit..Because someone will get butt hurt. And if they do have problems they send Redneck cuz he can charm a snake and fix some one elses mistakes and fix all the problems it wobt be aired.

Dirt high up hmmm ...Check the skeletons in there closets.Then publish it.All this should be public information.This should be done on any character of any show they want publicity give it to them..No privacy for movie stars so why should there be on these reality shows they want publicity give it to them...

If you don't like the show or disagree with what they are doing, DON'T WATCH it!!!! And if you have nothing to do but go on various websites to complain, perhaps you should 1) get a job and/or get a life. I happened upon this pathetic website because I met both Wayde and Brett today and was looking for a little more information about them. They were incredibly nice and know their stuff!

I think. Most of u have no life...haters jealous and this show kicks ass,,,no doubt they know what they doing ...and tv is very misleading as any show is after being edited ....atm rocks love it but no doubt treehouse masters knocks them out of park...maybe pete and atm crew shoul .d team up and make tanks in treehouses

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If you can get past the please God strike me deaf accen they have your still tortured by two of the most unskilled bufoons untalented idiots on the planet. I think the whole thing was staged from show inception. There is no way those clowns built a business on their own.

I think the majority of people writing in this blog is acting immature. Get over it, this is a television show. If you don't like it or the people just don't watch it. Simple solution. The bickering back and forth does nothing.

I accidentally landed on this page after trying to see the cost of having these guys come to my pizzeria in New York and build a tank . Then I started reading and for the first time decided to comment on some of the things I read. I just have to say how sad it is that people blog about how bad these guys tanks are. But as a business owner myself , I see it's not only in the pizza business , but in all business's . This is what I got from reading all of these negative comments. 1.mike " this is the best pizza I ever had" 2. I go to the other pizzeria . Mikes pie stinks . Point here number 2 has never ate at my store and if he did I'm sure he would bring in a coupon or have a complaint if I baked him a golden pizza ! So how do you have the right to blog about these two guys who are enjoying there lives , are great family men and are pretty f.....n hilarious if you never spent a dime in there place! My suggestion go sit In front of your cloudy broken down fish tanks and order pizza elsewhere! Brett and wayde .... Keep building tanks and depositing checks in your bank account ! They can eat dominoes and cash their checks in their local check cashing store living week to week ! You guys are hilarious !

Deary me, so much envy on here. Regardless of how showbiz they appear, there's no way they could have built up and sustained their business if they weren't good at what they do. ATM was going for years before Tanked was made and I suspect it was the fact of their success that attracted the TV folk. People just need to stop being vicious.

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I always find with these tv shows that focus on animals that they just don't seem to go through the proper procedures, for the sake of clean editing and entertainment. And that really can be very damaging, as you rightly say so yourself!

Keeping your Aquarium clean and clear can be a real task at times.Having cloudy water in your fish aquarium can make it look really ugly, also it is not well enough for the survival of the fish.You must need to change the water of the fish tank after every one week.

KAI don't understand why people are getting so mad at the comments that are trying to inform people that what they see on the show is not the way a tank should be set up. I'm pretty sure the guys on the show know that what is shown on T.V. Is not even close to how a tank should be set up. We only see a fraction of the time they spend on setting up a tank, and I'm sure that they have to follow a script. I've had my reef tank set up for a little over 7 years now and have set up numerous tanks for people and trust me when I say that every animal in your tank would live a week or two at most if you set up a tank the way they do on the show. I'm not saying these guys don't know what they are doing, I just think they really need to give a warning in the beginning of the show to advise people that there is a lot more to setting up a tank then what they see on the show and have a a list of the proper steps that should be taken on their website and tell people to read it and learn as much as they can before attempting to set up a reef tank. I personally think they make some amazing tanks, but I've had a good number of customers who's tank I had to fix because they saw the show and decided they wanted a tank and set it up based on what they saw on the show.i don't think they're intentionally being careless, but they do need to realize people are going to watch the show and assume that what they see is how its done. I understand that this show is meant for entertainment but a show can be entertaining and educational at the same time. Again, I don't think they are bad guys I just don't think they realize that they are unintentionally giving people the wrong idea about how to set up a tank. So if anyone from ATM reads this, having a show like this means it is your responsibility to educate as we'll as entertain or at least explain at the end of each episode that there are a lot of steps to setting up a tank that are not shown on tv. Again I do think they make some amazing tanks and I truly hope that what is shown isn't their actual way of setting up a tank, cycling a tank and acclimating fish.

The creed as always is greed. It is the driving factor of this show and their business. It is just another reality show trying to hold the interests of another demographic. As a fish keeper... yes I'm pissed but the wonderful thing about tv.... "click"

Do you people think before you post comments on these websites? Obviously not.Did you think that they film hours of film they edit hours of film to 12 minute sagements to make the half hour show! Its reality t.v. don't watch the show then

Guys they never go over the FILTRATION part of the tanks SO YOU ALL HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY SYSTEMS REALLY ARE....All you can say is they don't let the tank cycle long enough before adding fish but you can add BACTERIA...LIVE ROCK AND LIVE SAND AND not have to "CYCLE" the tank...because you are adding the bacteria instead of waiting for it to build up....This is is the cycle ok guys....Fish poo....it turns to amonnia....You have good bacteria in your tank that converts your ammonia into Nitrites and then Bacteria that converts Nitrites into Nitrates a less toxic form.....So when they say CYCLE A TANK...they mean the fish poo and the Ammonia spikes until the bacteria builds up enough to break the ammonia down.....BY ADDING BATERIA...they are bypassing all of this.....TELL THE TRUTH GUYS....Also on there coral tanks they are using water straight out of the ocean that is already cycled....and live sand.....it doesn't get any better than that....come on guys....I have 2 tanks over 500 gallons and I install RO systems for a living...I know about water filtration....Know WTF your talking about...I'm sure none of you have used WATER STRAIGHT FROM A LAKE OR OCEAN FOR YOUR TANKS...so how can you comment....

BRET----WAYDE----KEEP DOING WHAT U DO.....RYAN DAVID RISH FROM...Wabash, Indiana has your back 100%....Talking to a guy that has 2 tanks over 500 gallons and 6 tanks all together....all tanks been set up for over 8 years.....In one tank I have fish that are 16 years old and healthy as a horse....guess i got it right....

BRET----WAYDE----KEEP DOING WHAT U DO.....RYAN DAVID RISH FROM...Wabash, Indiana has your back 100%....Talking to a guy that has 2 tanks over 500 gallons and 6 tanks all together....all tanks been set up for over 8 years.....In one tank I have fish that are 16 years old and healthy as a horse....guess i got it right....

Guys they never go over the FILTRATION part of the tanks SO YOU ALL HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY SYSTEMS REALLY ARE....All you can say is they don't let the tank cycle long enough before adding fish but you can add BACTERIA...LIVE ROCK AND LIVE SAND AND not have to "CYCLE" the tank...because you are adding the bacteria instead of waiting for it to build up....This is is the cycle ok guys....Fish poo....it turns to amonnia....You have good bacteria in your tank that converts your ammonia into Nitrites and then Bacteria that converts Nitrites into Nitrates a less toxic form.....So when they say CYCLE A TANK...they mean the fish poo and the Ammonia spikes until the bacteria builds up enough to break the ammonia down.....BY ADDING BATERIA...they are bypassing all of this.....TELL THE TRUTH GUYS....Also on there coral tanks they are using water straight out of the ocean that is already cycled....and live sand.....it doesn't get any better than that....come on guys....I have 2 tanks over 500 gallons and I install RO systems for a living...I know about water filtration....Know WTF your talking about...I'm sure none of you have used WATER STRAIGHT FROM A LAKE OR OCEAN FOR YOUR TANKS...so how can you comment....

Water doesn't contain enough bacteria to cycle a tank, or to keep it cycled. Bacteria in a bottle is not always alive, nor a substitute for cycling a tank. The show is edited, ok-but when they show final product in a tank that has clearly not aged a week let along 3 which is the minimum time to do a fishiness cycle-then you know you have a tank set up for disaster. Live rock and sand still needs time to cycle and establish itself before you fully stock a tank with species of fish that should not be kept together, but look really cool in a tank. If you are in fish then you know the golden rule is patience-for everything. Rushing a setup leads to problems-usually death for the fish.

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Grew up in Wauwatosa but graduated from Oconomowoc H.S.. graduated from U.W. Madison, after serving in the Air Force. Taught in MPS and Westfield School District. Coached Special Olympics for several years. Moved to Las Vegas 6 1/2 years ago and teach in the CCSD as a special education teacher.
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